There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel…
“We’re getting married in London, in November… and the ceremony starts at 3.30pm.”
It’s a sentence I’ve heard countless times over the years, usually delivered with an apologetic smile.
As we all know, by the middle of November it’s practically dark before you’ve finished your lunch. Throw in the possibility of rain, a bit of wind and temperatures that encourage everyone to keep their coats firmly buttoned up, and it’s easy to see why couples worry about winter wedding photography.
The good news? I never do.
After more than twenty years working as a wedding photographer in London, I’ve photographed enough winter weddings to know that difficult conditions often produce the most interesting photographs. In fact, if I had to choose between flat midday sunshine and a cold November afternoon, I’d probably hesitate longer than most people expect.
Photographers always talk about light, but I’ve always found the shadows just as interesting. Bright sunshine tells you exactly where to point the camera. As a photographer, low light makes you look harder. It forces you to notice the corners of a room, the reflections in polished floors, the glow from a lamp that everyone else walks straight past. This is a big part of my approach to wedding photography. In fact some of my favourite photographs have come from places that, at first glance, looked far too dark to bother with.
Of course, not all winter weddings start late in the day. When the ceremony begins a little earlier (around 1:00pm) there is also the benefit of the ‘golden hour’ (aka twilight). This is my very favourite time of day and in winter it can bring the most complimentary and interesting contrast light.
Bad weather is also not as bad as it may seem. With rain comes umbrellas (the quintessential British accessory) and a certain energy that is only caught when people are dashing from A to B trying not to get wet. In my experience, it hardly ever rains solidly all day in the UK (trust me!) and when it does stop, you’ll find (especially in London) that the streets have been given a shimmering coat of satin varnish, where subtle reflections give the images a new dimension.
Unlike planning a Summer wedding, another good thing about getting married in Winter, is that nobody is ever disappointed with the weather, even when it rains. There’s a stress free positivity there from before the start, it was expected and this comes across in the photos.
So yes, if you’re getting married in London in November and your ceremony starts at 3.30pm, don’t apologise when you tell your photographer.
At least not if it’s me.
Photography tips for winter weddings:
• If possible, book the ceremony early (to finish before the twilight hour)
• Make the most of the daylight hours by having ‘getting ready’ shots before the ceremony.
• The use of candle light can bring amazing warmth to the images (but to have an effect it needs to be done in a big way – more candelabra than tea lights).
• Have nice umbrellas on hand for yourselves and guests. They keep you dry (obvs), make great props for photos and besides there’s nothing more romantic than sharing a brolly with the one you love!
